Overview
Nemophila heterophylla is a slender, sprawling winter annual native to California, growing 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) long with weak, branching stems that lean on neighboring plants. The leaves are lobed and variable in shape, the lower ones larger than those higher on the stem. In spring it bears small, bowl-shaped white flowers about 0.25-0.4 inch (6-10 mm) across, sometimes tinted pale blue, held singly on thin stalks. The plant germinates with fall and winter rains, grows through the cool season, flowers in spring, sets seed, and dies as the soil dries in early summer. It is native to shaded and partly shaded slopes, woodland, and chaparral in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. It grows in part shade to shade in moist, loose soil and fades quickly in hot, dry sites. Plants reseed readily and return from seed each year where conditions suit them. The small flowers draw native bees and other small pollinators. It has a short season and disappears by midsummer. Grown as a cool-season annual.
Native Range
Nemophila heterophylla is native to California, growing in the Coast Ranges, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the Central Valley margins. It is found on shaded slopes, in oak woodland, and in chaparral openings below 5,000 feet (1,500 m).Suggested Uses
Used in woodland and native plant gardens, as a cool-season filler under shrubs, and in container plantings. Suited to shaded beds that are bare in spring. Sown in drifts where it can reseed.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Blooms in spring, March to May, after fall and winter germination. Flowering lasts several weeks before the plant sets seed and dies back. Bloom is earlier in warm, low-elevation sites.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-5 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Sow seed in fall in part shade to shade on loose, moist soil, as the species grows during the cool, wet season. Keep soil moist through winter and spring while plants grow and flower. It needs no fertilizer and grows in lean soils. The annual dies as the soil dries in early summer, leaving seed for the next year. Letting some plants set seed maintains a stand from year to year. It grows poorly in hot, dry, or fully sunny sites.Pruning
No pruning is needed on this short-lived annual. Spent plants may be cleared once they dry in early summer. Seed is left to scatter for the following season.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons
✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
Fall, before winter rains
Days to Maturity
60–90 days
Plant Spacing
6 inches